SmartGauge?

[angus99]

Probably a stupid question:

I have a Magnum 2812 inverter charger and ME-BMK battery monitor installed. Before this was all up and running I had also bought a Balmar SmartGuage (44-SG-12/24) but never installed it.

I’ve reached the point that I should either install or sell the SmartGauge. First, I’d like to know if the SmartGuage will do anything different/easier/faster/better than the BMK? The only gripe I have about the BMK (which I’m definitely leaving in place) is scrolling through menus to get to what I want.

I don’t mind redundancy if there’s a point to it.

 

[JDCAVE]

Hi Angus. I have the same Magnum setup and find it is adequate. I certainly don’t lie awake at night thinking I need a Balmar Smart gauge. If it were me, I’d sell it. Or more likely just put in a drawer until it’s obsolete!

Jim

 

[angus99]

Thanks, Jim. Think I must be getting bored and looking for projects that probably don’t need doing.

 

[Bacchus]

I have a Balmar SmartGauge and like it for its simplicity. I dont have another monitor so agree there is limited utility in redundancy.

 

[cardude01]

I installed a SmartGauge on our boat. Super simple install. Seems to work fine.

 

[catalinajack]

I don't have a Smart Gauge but I do have a Balmar SG200 installed and working. In addition to reporting State of Charge the SG200 shows the State of Heath of batteries. As the batteries gradually lose capacity, it reports SOC based on the adjusted total amp-hours of the bank. Aside from that feature it does nothing more than what the Magnum controller or a Victron Serries 700 gauge do. My 5yo flooded bank stands at 97% SOH. One could easily assign a sliding downward factor over time to approximate SOH such that the Balmar SG200 is of no value. What I do like about it is that, with the Bluetooth app, amps in or out can be monitored in real time.

 

[gunho1]

My sg200 always shows SOH 96% even though my 7 year old agms are surely at end of life. One cloudy day and my voltage drops to 11.9 over night. The display shows SOC at 75% or so! Amp tracking seems fine

 

[tpbrady]

I had a Smart Gauge before I swapped out the original Heart Interface Link 2000 for Victron last spring. I didn’t trust the Link 2000 because it’s SOC was all over the map so wanted an independent opinion of SOC. Now I get to compare the Victron Smart Shunt to the Smart Gauge. They generally agree, but I have noticed the Smart Gauge shows a higher SOC after being on batteries overnight than the Smart Shunt when the draw on the batteries is small 7-10 amps on a 700AH bank than when it is 12-15 amps. I think this is because the batteries are being discharged at the 100 hr rate than the rate assumed by the Smart Shunt which is probably 25 hrs. When discharged at a low rate the battery capacity is actually higher than the published capacity. The Smart Shunt seems to account for this somehow. Not completely useless but I wouldn’t go out and buy one if I trust what I have.